HUMAN TRAFFICKING: NATURE, CAUSES, AND EFFECTS. BY PATRICIA ODUKWU CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER NAPTIP, NIGERIA.

POINTS TO DISCUSS INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND DEFINITION OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS NATURE AND SCOPE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CAUSES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING EFFECTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCLUSION.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND Prior to abolition of slave trade and slavery in 19th century human beings are sold as commodities Merchants provide weapons and fuel crises between communities to increase their supply Past two or more decades modern slavery has returned to our society Global issue and affects virtually all the countries in the world Men, women and children are trafficked by those who know them

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND CONTD. “Trafficking in Persons separates families, erodes social bonds, and undermines the political, social, economic and cultural prospects of communities. By creating an environment of violence, crime and fear, criminal networks undermines the rule of law, weaken public safety and threaten the overall safety and development of a community”. UN Trust Fund for Human Security. Trafficking is a human Rights violation.

DEFINITION First Defined in International law through the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children known as the ‘Palermo Protocol’ or the ‘Trafficking Protocol’ A supplementary to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2000). It provided most widely endorsed definition of trafficking and the essential basis for national law reform.

DEFINITION CONTD. ‘Trafficking in persons (TIP) shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of cohesion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power, or of a position of vulnerability or of giving or receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation’.

For the purposes of this Protocol: Article 3 - Use of terms For the purposes of this Protocol: (a) “Trafficking in persons” shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs; Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 15.11.2000

KEY ELEMENTS OF TIP ACT – recruitment, transportation, harbouring, or receipt of a person MEANS – threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of victim PURPOSE – exploitation (includes exploitation of prostitution of others, sexual, forced labour, slavery or similar practices & removal of organs It is worthy of note that where any of the elements of TIP is used the consent of the victim is meaningless.

NATURE AND SCOPE OF HT Due to clandestine nature accurate statistical data is hardly available. A criminal network shrouded in secrecy Internal Trafficking: Trafficking within a country. Mostly for the purpose of domestic & child labour, begging, sexual exploitation, rituals etc External trafficking: Trafficking outside a country for sexual and labour exploitation in most cases, others organ harvesting etc.

NATURE AND SCOPE OF HT CONTD. All countries are involved in one form or the other as origin or source, transit or destination. Some countries fall within the three categories. TIP was not regarded as a major concern in Africa until the 90s Estimated that no fewer than I million and 2 million people are trafficked worldwide annually. Trafficking of women to Europe prevalent in Africa 60% of foreign prostitutes in Italy are from Africa majority Nigerians

NATURE AND SCOPE OF HT CONTD. 80 million or 40% of African Children between 5-14yrs work under wholesome conditions- many trafficked – ILO 200,000 – 300,000 children trafficked for forced labour and sexual exploitation in West and Central Africa – ILO 10,000 – 15,000 West African children work in cocoa plantation in Cote d’ Ivoire – UNICEF 17,500 foreign national trafficked into United States annually (Polaris Project) 27 million people trafficked all over the world, 80% of whom are women and children

CAUSES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING Majority of Trafficked persons are from developing countries in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe Destinations for victims are developed and rich countries like North America and Western Europe. Causes include: Poverty Lack of Opportunities/Unemployment Ignorance/Illiteracy Situation of armed conflict

CAUSES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONTD. Globalisation – the world being a global village in modern times Greed – get rich quick syndrome Desire to earn a living

PURPOSE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING Sexual exploitation Labour exploitation Domestic work Military Conscription Forced marriage Sports Organ Harvesting Illicit adoption

EFFECTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONTD. Human trafficking is an evil and cannot have a positive effect on the victims who are exploited, their families, communities and the states of origin. Though a low risk high profit business where perpetrators are enriched and in some cases the developed destination countries, human trafficking is an ill wind that blows no good to anyone or any country.

EFFECTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING President Bush spoke to the UN 23rd Sept., 2003 “There’s another humanitarian crises spreading, yet hidden from view. Each year … human beings are bought, sold or forced across the world’s borders. Among them are hundreds of thousands of teenage girls, and others as young as five, who fall victim to the sex trade. This commerce in human life generate billions of dollars each year – much of which is used to finance organized crime” Above statement shows that human trafficking is a serious issue that has affected the world and the people in it. Children and women mostly affected.

EFFECTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONTD. Emotional Effects – ugly experiences from when in transit and at destination. Some are made to have sex with 20 men daily others with dogs. They are dehumanized and traumatized Physical/Health Effects – Perpetrators use physical abuse as a control mechanism. Victims are raped to make them submissive. Diseases are contracted. Those trafficked for begging are maimed to elicit sympathy from the general public to boost almsgiving Social Effects – Deprived of family life and normal social activities making adjustment difficult. Economic Effects – Only traffickers gain in this trade. The future of the society is destroyed where majority of its members cannot function effectively.

CONCLUSION Human trafficking is a modern day slavery, an ill wind that blows no body any good. It is a violation of the fundamental human rights of the victim and affects his/her normal functioning in the society. It is a global issue that must be addressed by all. We should do our bit as individuals, families, communities and the larger society to fight and eliminate this evil in our society and the world.